Monday, May 26, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Durkheim, Anomie, and the Non-chemical Control of Emotions
I was profoundly affected by the writings of Emile Durkheim from the moment I read the first sentence. He was on to something big. Hearing about him was the highlight of a Sociology class in community college that I took way back in 1986. The lesson of anomie lingered. Durkheim was what came to mind every day as I sat behind a desk producing nothing. Nothing tangible unless misery is tangible.
Each day I entered the giant honeycomb of an office building that I had called home for so many years and made my way up to the 10th floor so that I could buy a refrigerator on credit and finance a car at the end of the day. Perhaps take out a second mortgage to accumulate more possessions. Not really, see, I was never stupid enough to play that game, but I dedicated a great number of years of my career to jobs that produce nothing tangible. Crowded office space on every side. Up and down. The modern equivalent of the factory except we are not producing anything except misery and nonsense. Somewhere in the process, goods or services are alleged involved, but these physical meetings take place far beyond the re-enforced concrete and glass towers which are the office buildings in which I once participated in this nonsense. Crowded freeways, crowded living quarters. If Durkheim were alive today, he would flip his wig. Surely the factories of today are worse on so many levels than those of his age.
It took me a little while, but I walked away from that torture chamber of an office and started making a living with my hands again. Determined that it is futile and stupid to play the game. Are you going to write another mumbo jumbo memo? If your job is useless, make it disappear. And your worries will soon follow.
Each day I entered the giant honeycomb of an office building that I had called home for so many years and made my way up to the 10th floor so that I could buy a refrigerator on credit and finance a car at the end of the day. Perhaps take out a second mortgage to accumulate more possessions. Not really, see, I was never stupid enough to play that game, but I dedicated a great number of years of my career to jobs that produce nothing tangible. Crowded office space on every side. Up and down. The modern equivalent of the factory except we are not producing anything except misery and nonsense. Somewhere in the process, goods or services are alleged involved, but these physical meetings take place far beyond the re-enforced concrete and glass towers which are the office buildings in which I once participated in this nonsense. Crowded freeways, crowded living quarters. If Durkheim were alive today, he would flip his wig. Surely the factories of today are worse on so many levels than those of his age.
It took me a little while, but I walked away from that torture chamber of an office and started making a living with my hands again. Determined that it is futile and stupid to play the game. Are you going to write another mumbo jumbo memo? If your job is useless, make it disappear. And your worries will soon follow.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Friday, May 2, 2014
Caballero Canyon
Caballero Canyon trailhead is located 3 miles south of the 101 on Reseda Blvd. There is ample parking at the trailhead which is surrounded by a gaggle of insidious stucco and drywall mini-mansions that should have never been built. In fact, next time the canyon goes up in flames, invite me over so I can toast some marshmallows. Anyway, the trail I took goes off to the left as you walk down the embankment. It is not too steep, but I was surprised to find quite a bit of shade which must come in handy in August when Tarzana feels like beautiful Downtown Brawley. The trail is rather short, just a little over 1.5 mi, but there are options to extend the length once you reach the top with just a little caveat which I will soon explain. I saw some Scrub Jays, Ravens, and Robins. Lizards out warming themselves on the rocks. Sycamores in the canyon down below. Oaks, but not ancient ones. Some nice giant boulders. When you get to the top, lo and behold: giant earth moving machines carving up yet another subdivision in the beautiful and sacred Santa Monica Mountains. The roar of a behemoth bulldozer tearing up the hillside and that abomination of a backhoe digging trenches to accommodate conduits of shit and electricity for more Mc Mansions. I sure wish it were not a felony to vandalize heavy construction equipment or I would put some Karo GMO Cornsyrup into the fucking gas tanks and dirt into the crankcase. Perhaps even drain out the oil and puncture the hoses. A nice view of the San Fernando Valley and a great view of Topanga State Park looking south. I hope all of the co-conspirators who issued building permits, the architects and contractors that designed and constructed these abominations, and the people who occupy the houses know that they are going to the deepest ring of Dante's Inferno for destroying this once beautiful section of the Santa Monica Mountains.
I recommend listening to Judas Priest Screaming For Vengeance while running on the way down. Full fucking blast!
I recommend listening to Judas Priest Screaming For Vengeance while running on the way down. Full fucking blast!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Denise and da Nephews
My cousin's three children are a remarkable bunch! I am well aware of how supremely annoying it is when parents brag about their children. I frequently observe gargoyle ugly children being told by their lying shit sack parents that they are just beautiful when the exact opposite is true. The overwhelming majority of relatives that praise their fugly nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and then proclaim how talented they supposedly are make me want to blow chunks. But my little cousins are an exception. They are darling children. Carlos, the oldest, is such a great looking kid and in possession of a very high IQ. He truly has the best genes of both his parents. The middle child is darling too, and quite determined on the trail, a little reserved at first, but empathetic and kind. The 18 month old girl has one of the best personalities of any small child I have ever met. If you met them, you would see for yourself. Forgive my bragging, but I can't help myself because they are so special.
The children are suffering psychological distress because my cousin and her estranged husband are currently embroiled in an exceedingly high conflict divorce and custody matter over at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. While the case is super ugly and both parties exceedingly unyielding, it is not something that I care to become involved in as a witness or a participant in any other way, shape, or form. I do want to offer my time to helping these kids as much as I can. They are well loved. While obviously I would like my cousin to win because she is family, I am old enough to know that there are no winners in a family law matter. Also, it takes two to tango. Whoever your relative is in a divorce matter, remember that they married that other person. When parties divorce, they are batshit crazy. It is wise to limit your involvement as much as possible while still being supportive. You do it by focusing on the kids and taking their mind off the domestic problems by allowing them to be kids. When they start talking about the divorce or asking questions, simply start talking about something else. Then get them to the park or another place where they can enjoy themselves without being reminded of alienation and litigation.
There are only losers in domestic cases, and those losers are almost without exception, the minor child of the parties. There is nothing more emotionally traumatic than a divorce to a small child with the possible exception of the death of an immediate family member or a tragic and disfiguring accident. The people in most divorce cases that I am rooting for are the minor children, but that is not the objective of the Family Law and Juvenile Dependency Court Judges and the community of matrimonial lawyers and their support staff who understand that the process has immense commercial value and directly employs thousands of individuals in Los Angeles County injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into State and Local economies.
Family law attorneys in Los Angeles are primarily a worthless lot as are employees of the DCFS. If I solved problems utilizing violent means, I would probably use hand tools to dismember and grind them up into Soylent Green. Tuesday is Soylent Green Day. Most of the judges on the Family Law Panel at Mosk could probably be replaced by a simple computer application that would apply the California Family Code with both precision and total judicial blindness. They should be sent to the wastebasket of history and judicial panels should only be used in the most abstract of cases. Litigants should be considered applicants instead, and joint legal and physical custody to the parties should be automatic and as easy as filling out a Marriage License with the County Registrar and Recorder and always processed on the same day while you wait. It should be obtainable by either party for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all. Completely no fault and processed with the utmost efficiency and speed. Just think of all the money that could be saved! Vigorously prosecute all Family Court litigants that make false accusations, especially false allegations of sexual abuse in criminal court. Domestic cases are the only matters where perjury is not taken seriously despite the immense damage that generally takes place as a result of parents making false accusations about their estranged spouses during custody and support battles. I propose that making false accusations of sexual abuse during a divorce or paternity proceeding should be codified as a felony, and that the District Attorney vigorously investigate and file cases against the perpetrators of chickenshit rumormongering. The overwhelming majority of litigants that bear false witness against their former spouse are female, but of course men occasionally act like cunts and snitch like weaselly bitches.
Having been personally involved in multiple family cases since June 5th, 1999, I can tell you without reservation that it is a not a good thing to be involved in. By associating with turds, you are inevitably going to wind up with fecal matter on your hands. As I had mentioned, dealing with most family law attorneys in Los Angeles will require you to wash your hands frequently with hot water and AJAX. Scrub your hands under the hot water for at least 40 seconds and clip your fingernails. It is especially important not to become emotionally involved in the case of a family member. It is prudent to offer support to your relative but avoid becoming a witness or reading court material and documents.
What you should do is try and spend as much time as possible with the minor children and provide them with the ability to act like kids as the life they once knew sadly unravels. There are many activities that will take their little minds off the tension in the households of both separated parents. Of course the children will want to please their parents, and will bring them up frequently. As an uncle or aunt, grandparent, cousin, or older sibling, you need to let the kids know how important both parents are. There is no excuse for you to talk any shit about a little kid's parents and the damage that will occur to their self esteem will take years of psychotherapy later in life to unravel. Instead of talking shit and acting like a turd, praise the dad and praise the mom. Talk about some of the good things about both parents and tell the kids that they are loved and that everything always works out in the end and that it just takes a little time to heal.
I knew of a case where an upper-middle class woman from Manhattan Beach made false accusations of sexual abuse against her ex-husband. The allegations were creepier than the McMartin Pre School horseshit that they accused the Buckeys of 30 years ago. She almost succeeded in getting him arrested and prosecuted, but fortunately the judge smelled shit and put a stop to the fiasco by awarding custody to the father. Thank God! There was nothing wrong with dad other than the fact that mom hated him and wanted to damage him. She tried to enlist all her friends and relatives to go against him, but I never jumped on that bandwagon. Her entire family did jump on that bandwagon and badmouthed the dad, threatened him with violence, and literally tried to assassinate his character. It did not work, but there are many cases where it does. These people who participate in this sickening behavior should never be around children in the first place and the poor damn kids should probably go into foster care where they might just have a fucking fighting chance at living a normal life.
I suggest that if someone asks you to take sides in a custody battle, just take the side of the minor children instead and remember when you were a small child that it would have been devastating if some dumb ass relative said something bad about your mom or dad. My cousin's kids adore their father, and so I always make it a point to tell them their dad is an awesome athlete and that he should lift weights, strength train, and get involved in Martial Arts like his dad. I tell him his dad is a man and that a big part about growing into a person is physical fitness. They need to be able to look up to dad who is obviously going to teach him that important stuff. Mom seems to be a little more gifted in the intelligence arena. All three kids are clearly in possession of those smarts, so I try and bring that up frequently as well. I tell them how hard it is to be intelligent and how I used to try and hide it from the other kids. Make them feel good about it instead of being worthless and talking shit. I think this goes a long way to building self esteem and confidence.
Anyhow, I take care of my two special guys and my angelic little girl every Saturday, all day. This Saturday, I took them on a moderate 4 mile trail run. I carried the little girl, but the boys went un-assisted all the way up a steep trail with about 1200 ft elevation gain. They followed my instructions to the letter, and booked up the hill. The older boy is 6, and in addition to being remarkably intelligent, seems to have inherited his father's natural athletic ability. He was able to keep up and clearly has the ability to go much farther and could easily learn how to boulder and do a hard scramble. I am hoping to take him to Baldy next time we spend some time together so he can bag his first 10k Peak. The 4 year old boy did well also, and the little girl seems to be a thrill seeker. I gave them constant reassurance and let them talk. Getting to the summit was great for their self esteem. They did it all themselves and I was really proud of them! I pointed out the Hawks, Ravens, Reptiles, Rodents, Sycamores, Oaks, Crows, Robins, and the magnificent views from high on top of the Santa Monica Mountains. I know they are all hooked on trail running, cause when we ran down, the boys booked down the hill non-stop for two miles. A long way when you are a little kid.
When I took them home, they were all out like a light. The little guys are just wonderful kids and I am looking forward to teaching them all about fishing, rifle skills, backpacking, swimming, trail running, integrity, and a general love of the outdoors. I hope to provide them with a sanctuary where they can feel secure, protected, loved, and the ability to act like kids and run free without a care in the world. I am especially stoked to take them running on the trails of the Santa Monicas, San Gabriels, and the San Bernardino National Forest. It takes a mountain to build a man (and a woman, too, of course).
When I spend time with these wonderful little people, I see the best qualities of both parents and the potential for individual greatness for all three of them.
The children are suffering psychological distress because my cousin and her estranged husband are currently embroiled in an exceedingly high conflict divorce and custody matter over at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. While the case is super ugly and both parties exceedingly unyielding, it is not something that I care to become involved in as a witness or a participant in any other way, shape, or form. I do want to offer my time to helping these kids as much as I can. They are well loved. While obviously I would like my cousin to win because she is family, I am old enough to know that there are no winners in a family law matter. Also, it takes two to tango. Whoever your relative is in a divorce matter, remember that they married that other person. When parties divorce, they are batshit crazy. It is wise to limit your involvement as much as possible while still being supportive. You do it by focusing on the kids and taking their mind off the domestic problems by allowing them to be kids. When they start talking about the divorce or asking questions, simply start talking about something else. Then get them to the park or another place where they can enjoy themselves without being reminded of alienation and litigation.
There are only losers in domestic cases, and those losers are almost without exception, the minor child of the parties. There is nothing more emotionally traumatic than a divorce to a small child with the possible exception of the death of an immediate family member or a tragic and disfiguring accident. The people in most divorce cases that I am rooting for are the minor children, but that is not the objective of the Family Law and Juvenile Dependency Court Judges and the community of matrimonial lawyers and their support staff who understand that the process has immense commercial value and directly employs thousands of individuals in Los Angeles County injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into State and Local economies.
Family law attorneys in Los Angeles are primarily a worthless lot as are employees of the DCFS. If I solved problems utilizing violent means, I would probably use hand tools to dismember and grind them up into Soylent Green. Tuesday is Soylent Green Day. Most of the judges on the Family Law Panel at Mosk could probably be replaced by a simple computer application that would apply the California Family Code with both precision and total judicial blindness. They should be sent to the wastebasket of history and judicial panels should only be used in the most abstract of cases. Litigants should be considered applicants instead, and joint legal and physical custody to the parties should be automatic and as easy as filling out a Marriage License with the County Registrar and Recorder and always processed on the same day while you wait. It should be obtainable by either party for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all. Completely no fault and processed with the utmost efficiency and speed. Just think of all the money that could be saved! Vigorously prosecute all Family Court litigants that make false accusations, especially false allegations of sexual abuse in criminal court. Domestic cases are the only matters where perjury is not taken seriously despite the immense damage that generally takes place as a result of parents making false accusations about their estranged spouses during custody and support battles. I propose that making false accusations of sexual abuse during a divorce or paternity proceeding should be codified as a felony, and that the District Attorney vigorously investigate and file cases against the perpetrators of chickenshit rumormongering. The overwhelming majority of litigants that bear false witness against their former spouse are female, but of course men occasionally act like cunts and snitch like weaselly bitches.
Having been personally involved in multiple family cases since June 5th, 1999, I can tell you without reservation that it is a not a good thing to be involved in. By associating with turds, you are inevitably going to wind up with fecal matter on your hands. As I had mentioned, dealing with most family law attorneys in Los Angeles will require you to wash your hands frequently with hot water and AJAX. Scrub your hands under the hot water for at least 40 seconds and clip your fingernails. It is especially important not to become emotionally involved in the case of a family member. It is prudent to offer support to your relative but avoid becoming a witness or reading court material and documents.
What you should do is try and spend as much time as possible with the minor children and provide them with the ability to act like kids as the life they once knew sadly unravels. There are many activities that will take their little minds off the tension in the households of both separated parents. Of course the children will want to please their parents, and will bring them up frequently. As an uncle or aunt, grandparent, cousin, or older sibling, you need to let the kids know how important both parents are. There is no excuse for you to talk any shit about a little kid's parents and the damage that will occur to their self esteem will take years of psychotherapy later in life to unravel. Instead of talking shit and acting like a turd, praise the dad and praise the mom. Talk about some of the good things about both parents and tell the kids that they are loved and that everything always works out in the end and that it just takes a little time to heal.
I knew of a case where an upper-middle class woman from Manhattan Beach made false accusations of sexual abuse against her ex-husband. The allegations were creepier than the McMartin Pre School horseshit that they accused the Buckeys of 30 years ago. She almost succeeded in getting him arrested and prosecuted, but fortunately the judge smelled shit and put a stop to the fiasco by awarding custody to the father. Thank God! There was nothing wrong with dad other than the fact that mom hated him and wanted to damage him. She tried to enlist all her friends and relatives to go against him, but I never jumped on that bandwagon. Her entire family did jump on that bandwagon and badmouthed the dad, threatened him with violence, and literally tried to assassinate his character. It did not work, but there are many cases where it does. These people who participate in this sickening behavior should never be around children in the first place and the poor damn kids should probably go into foster care where they might just have a fucking fighting chance at living a normal life.
I suggest that if someone asks you to take sides in a custody battle, just take the side of the minor children instead and remember when you were a small child that it would have been devastating if some dumb ass relative said something bad about your mom or dad. My cousin's kids adore their father, and so I always make it a point to tell them their dad is an awesome athlete and that he should lift weights, strength train, and get involved in Martial Arts like his dad. I tell him his dad is a man and that a big part about growing into a person is physical fitness. They need to be able to look up to dad who is obviously going to teach him that important stuff. Mom seems to be a little more gifted in the intelligence arena. All three kids are clearly in possession of those smarts, so I try and bring that up frequently as well. I tell them how hard it is to be intelligent and how I used to try and hide it from the other kids. Make them feel good about it instead of being worthless and talking shit. I think this goes a long way to building self esteem and confidence.
Anyhow, I take care of my two special guys and my angelic little girl every Saturday, all day. This Saturday, I took them on a moderate 4 mile trail run. I carried the little girl, but the boys went un-assisted all the way up a steep trail with about 1200 ft elevation gain. They followed my instructions to the letter, and booked up the hill. The older boy is 6, and in addition to being remarkably intelligent, seems to have inherited his father's natural athletic ability. He was able to keep up and clearly has the ability to go much farther and could easily learn how to boulder and do a hard scramble. I am hoping to take him to Baldy next time we spend some time together so he can bag his first 10k Peak. The 4 year old boy did well also, and the little girl seems to be a thrill seeker. I gave them constant reassurance and let them talk. Getting to the summit was great for their self esteem. They did it all themselves and I was really proud of them! I pointed out the Hawks, Ravens, Reptiles, Rodents, Sycamores, Oaks, Crows, Robins, and the magnificent views from high on top of the Santa Monica Mountains. I know they are all hooked on trail running, cause when we ran down, the boys booked down the hill non-stop for two miles. A long way when you are a little kid.
When I took them home, they were all out like a light. The little guys are just wonderful kids and I am looking forward to teaching them all about fishing, rifle skills, backpacking, swimming, trail running, integrity, and a general love of the outdoors. I hope to provide them with a sanctuary where they can feel secure, protected, loved, and the ability to act like kids and run free without a care in the world. I am especially stoked to take them running on the trails of the Santa Monicas, San Gabriels, and the San Bernardino National Forest. It takes a mountain to build a man (and a woman, too, of course).
When I spend time with these wonderful little people, I see the best qualities of both parents and the potential for individual greatness for all three of them.
Friday, March 28, 2014
Kia Sedona: About the Shittiest Vehicle I Have Ever Driven
This review is based on the 2012 Kia Sedona minivan that I have been driving for the last month for work. I have never driven another Kia product, and am not likely to ever drive one again if I can possibly avoid it. This vehicle is an absolutely worthless, reprehensible, rolling hunk of shit. I can't believe that it went into production.
Firstly, I feel like a pedophile driving this thing around. Even my daughter told me that when I drive it I look totally like a sex offender. Then, expect about 11 miles per gallon. Not bad for a 1974 Buick Electra, but for a modern vehicle without a V-8, it is merely comical. Who the fuck designed this thing? It runs and drives like some team of jackass engineers from Pyongyang reverse engineered a Toyota Previa. It could quite possibly be the same team that reverse engineered a second generation SCUD into the Nodong Ballistic Missile. It handles worse than a Yugo with two flat tires. Once again, this thing is not just bad, but horrid. Nothing is where it should be. When you try and adjust the radio, it is inevitably going to cause a hazard. The controls are placed so randomly it defies one's imagination. On a real car made by real engineers like the Mazda Miata, all the controls are where they are supposed to be. These guys should have taken some lessons in functionality from the much more serious and efficient Japanese who make real cars. Not some tincan minivan made by North Koreans and one armed men like this thing. Then there are the blind spots which make this thing truly unsafe. It would make a good van to transport clowns to and fro the circus. The Koreans seem to do a lot of things correctly, but they should really stay out of the automobile business.
Firstly, I feel like a pedophile driving this thing around. Even my daughter told me that when I drive it I look totally like a sex offender. Then, expect about 11 miles per gallon. Not bad for a 1974 Buick Electra, but for a modern vehicle without a V-8, it is merely comical. Who the fuck designed this thing? It runs and drives like some team of jackass engineers from Pyongyang reverse engineered a Toyota Previa. It could quite possibly be the same team that reverse engineered a second generation SCUD into the Nodong Ballistic Missile. It handles worse than a Yugo with two flat tires. Once again, this thing is not just bad, but horrid. Nothing is where it should be. When you try and adjust the radio, it is inevitably going to cause a hazard. The controls are placed so randomly it defies one's imagination. On a real car made by real engineers like the Mazda Miata, all the controls are where they are supposed to be. These guys should have taken some lessons in functionality from the much more serious and efficient Japanese who make real cars. Not some tincan minivan made by North Koreans and one armed men like this thing. Then there are the blind spots which make this thing truly unsafe. It would make a good van to transport clowns to and fro the circus. The Koreans seem to do a lot of things correctly, but they should really stay out of the automobile business.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Claro's Italian Deli
Nice sandwich with a great sharp provolone and other quality ingredients. The bread, however, tasted worse than Soylent Green. Excellent counter service with professional, polite people who made me feel quite welcome. I had always thought that Covina was a village full of idiots limited to the automobile dealerships, dilapidated shopping malls, Friday's, and the Olive Garden parallel to the 10FWY. I had no idea that there was a quaint little shopping district with killer antique stores and some nice Craftsman style homes located just a few blocks north. I had been reading about Claro's on Yelp for a little while. I was not disappointed, but I was not impressed either. I feel that the sandwich offered at the Roma Deli is far superior. While I did not have too much time to examine the contents of the grocery department, what I saw sure looked good.
A Good Tailor Shop
A suit always feels like a straightjacket to me. A tie, like a hangman's noose. I'm not into dress shoes, and not qualified to discuss fashion. My oldest brother is a clothes horse and in my late 40's, I still inherit his hand me downs. He recently gave me a black Armani suit and and a dark blue one from Nordstrom's. He mentioned something about a high price tag, something about the fabric and some other incomprehensible babble . He also gave me a white suit which I immediately threw in the trash.
Mike has been tailoring my straightjackets ever since 1982. I took in those two suits my brother gave me, and he had both of them pinned up in just a few minutes. He had to take quite a bit of fabric off, and make the suits significantly smaller as well as tapering and hemming the pants. When I came to pick them up and tried them on, I was really impressed with the way they fit. They are like perfect custom tailored suits that I could wear to any event. My wife liked my custom tailored straightjacket so much when I tried it on for her that she promptly unbuttoned and unzipped it.
I paid 135 for the alterations on both suits. It was a little steep, but they did such a good job, it was money well spent Mending is better than ending. Get your older brother to hand you down a suit and take it here. You are going to like the way your straightjacket fits.
Mike has been tailoring my straightjackets ever since 1982. I took in those two suits my brother gave me, and he had both of them pinned up in just a few minutes. He had to take quite a bit of fabric off, and make the suits significantly smaller as well as tapering and hemming the pants. When I came to pick them up and tried them on, I was really impressed with the way they fit. They are like perfect custom tailored suits that I could wear to any event. My wife liked my custom tailored straightjacket so much when I tried it on for her that she promptly unbuttoned and unzipped it.
I paid 135 for the alterations on both suits. It was a little steep, but they did such a good job, it was money well spent Mending is better than ending. Get your older brother to hand you down a suit and take it here. You are going to like the way your straightjacket fits.
Israeli Street Food on Melrose
The laffa is about the size of Chris Christie's lunch hoagie. You could cut it in half and still satisfy two hungry people of normal girth and body weight. The food is tasty, but I would had preferred to have the option of ordering a smaller laffa because this thing was overkill. The salads tasted fresh, but were a little heavy on the oil. I got the eggplant tomato, hummus, babaghanoush, and some cucumber and tomato salad. The chicken was good, crispy, well seasoned, not too salty, and well seasoned with "secret" shawerma spices. Once again, too much meat. The salads and harissa were included in the 10 price tag. What stood out more than the food was the great service. The owner came up and brought me some additional sauces, and inquired as to whether I was enjoying my meal. I appreciated his concern and he seemed like a cool cat . I can't wait to return to try the falafel. As for the location, if you are familiar with this area, you will know that it is very short on parking. Save yourself a headache and walk or take the bus. Pretty damn good street food, not the healthiest food around, but much better than a cheesesteak or burger and nutritious and well seasoned to boot.
Super King
Maybe you are not one of the anointed ones who can afford to spend $4.00 on a bunch of beets, or are able to pay five or six times for tomatoes than I do. I avoid the Valley like the ebola, and it was just plain weird that I found myself in that area yesterday on a work assignment. Although I am a Los Angeles Native Son, I have not spent much time in the Valley at least since the late 1970's and the early 1980's. I remember going to Phases Nightclub, Gozilla's in Sun Valley, as well as the now defunct Busch Gardens and other landmarks long gone. I have gone to the Valley maybe three dozen times since 1986, mostly to eat Middle Eastern food.
The Valley of the 1970's is a blurry figment of our lame memories. It has instead become this giant, decaying shithole with traffic and super global warming. But there is the occasional gem of a place like Super King.
If you are a vegetarian, you would be surprised at how many meals you can buy at this market for 20 bucks. I figure about nine (9) meals, and gourmet ones at that.
Asparagus: .99/lb. green, fresh, and identical to the 2.99 asparagus at Von's
Cluster Tomatoes .59/lb instead of 1.59 at Ralphs
Beets (small red) .79 per bunch
Dill .50
Persian Cucumbers .59/lb
Italian Squash 1.00/4 lbs
You will find all kinds of other great stuff such as dried fruits, nuts and seeds. I was totally impressed with this market. It would be worth the drive from K-Town. High praises!
The Valley of the 1970's is a blurry figment of our lame memories. It has instead become this giant, decaying shithole with traffic and super global warming. But there is the occasional gem of a place like Super King.
If you are a vegetarian, you would be surprised at how many meals you can buy at this market for 20 bucks. I figure about nine (9) meals, and gourmet ones at that.
Asparagus: .99/lb. green, fresh, and identical to the 2.99 asparagus at Von's
Cluster Tomatoes .59/lb instead of 1.59 at Ralphs
Beets (small red) .79 per bunch
Dill .50
Persian Cucumbers .59/lb
Italian Squash 1.00/4 lbs
You will find all kinds of other great stuff such as dried fruits, nuts and seeds. I was totally impressed with this market. It would be worth the drive from K-Town. High praises!
One of the Best Chicken Kebabs I Have Ever Tried
They say hunger makes the best sauce. Plato is the person originally credited with the quote, and sometimes it is attributed to Miguel de Cervantes. Whoever said it was a pretty smart fucker. See, I had been at Brand Park a little earlier with my wife completing a very difficult and lengthy run with lots of elevation gain and loss. I was so famished by the time we finished that I probably would have eaten Filipino food. Luckily, I drove by here and saw about ten people leaving with takeout while I waited at the traffic light. So thankfully I parked and we came in because this place has one of the best chicken kebabs I have ever tasted. It is boneless and skinless dark and white meat marinated in what I suspect may be dilaudid, expertly grilled by someone who has a lot of broiler experience. Brillat-Savarin was correct. Grilling chicken perfectly is an artistic feat no less delicate than a charcoal drawing by Goya. Or a Harvard-trained cosmetic surgeon performing a magnificent breast enhancement and racheting up sagging vagina so it no longer hangs like sleeve of wizard. These guys have PhD in grilling chicken. I chose eggplant and tomato salad, tabouleh and rice. The eggplant was good and the tabouleh was fresh. I ordered it with an extra kebab and it was a hell of a lot of quality, healthy food for the ridiculously low price of ten bucks. My wife got a gyro sandwich which actually was two sandwiches with Chris Christie approved quantities of two different salads. Fuck yeah.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
I Advocate 5150 WIC Holds for the Morbidly Obese and Institutionalization in State Mental Hospitals
It was Reagan who as Governor began the process of de-institutionalization, but I was surprised to learn that it was actually that turd, Pete Wilson who closed Camarillo State Hospital. The issue of mental health treatment is an issue that is very dear to me. It is an issue that is inevitably very dear to anyone who has cared for a relative suffering from acute paranoid schizophrenia or a variety of other serious mental illnesses. As caretakers, we have all traveled down the same path. Some are still suffering while their loved ones refuse treatment and go through cycles of homelessness, self-medication, and victimization by predators. Others have been able to provide a modicum of stability for their mentally ill loved ones and create and maintain a support network. There are a million other permutations that could apply to a situation where you care for a loved one with a serious mental illness. I only mentioned two of them. Hospitalization is of course, another.
All of us noticed something different in our mentally ill relatives from an early age, most likely between the ages of 10 and 13. Then, there was the manifestation of the illness and a major increase in symptoms during the teenage years and into young adulthood when a hospitalization inevitably took place. Most likely, the first treatments and therapies were not effective. There was the self medication. Alcohol, stimulants, opiates. Chronic smoking. It helps make them feel better. But it also involves them in the criminal justice system, exposes them to blood born illnesses, and once again, predators. Compliance with medication is always a problem. It is hard to identify what is happening. You have no idea what the fuck a paranoid schizophrenic is unless you are a mental health professional or a student. It is not something that even the smart layperson can identify. The same goes for the many variants of serious mental illness. Unless you know what to look for, you have no idea what is going on. You may just think that they are doing it intentionally.
Then comes the first time that your relative is hospitalized and the psychiatrist actually gets the diagnosis correct. What a shock to learn about something so serious! And it may go hand and hand with a criminal case, or concurrent diagnosis with another serious illness such as HIV. Facing a judge in criminal court is not an appropriate mechanism for the treatment of the mentally ill. Controlled substance possession, sales, and prostitution are all part and parcel to serious mental illness so our prisons are crawling with untreated individuals who are exceedingly ill. Prison is only going to make them more self destructive and more dangerous. Any type of coerced outpatient treatment program imposed by the criminal justice system is likely to fail.
But there are good doctors out there with heavy clinical experience. County mental health programs and mental illness free clinics in large cities are typically good places to begin, and are usually free. The problem is getting the people to go. They are not going to want to go in most cases. Even after a hold, their participation is simply voluntary, and they are free to go back out on the streets and harm themselves. Thank you Mister Reagan and Mr. Wilson. I believe Dante has a seat for both of you in a deep ring of hell. But there is hope for those that want to get better, have a support network and are lucky enough to encounter a good Psychiatrist with clinical experience that can help you get to the bottom of things.
Underneath the exterior of every homeless person is someone's brother, sister, son, daughter, mom or dad. They don't want to have those things going through their heads. Trust me. If they could be more like everyone else, they would elect to. Their recovery is usually possible. Don't give up on them. The de-institutionalization of the seriously mentally ill was and is a crime against humanity. Placing defenseless people on the street and exposing them to predators, narcotics, and early death is not an indiction of a compassionate and sane society. How dare we force democracy down the throats of other nations and carpet bomb when they refuse to follow our orders when we cannot even take care of our own population of mentally ill people. Instead of several thousand 1.5 million dollar Tomahawk Missiles, how about spending some money to treat these people and open up places where they can be safe and hope to lead a better life?
Morbidly obese people fall into the category of mental illness. Endocrine problems my ass. It is self-destructive, uncontrolled behavior. They are victimized by predators such as Hostess, Jimmy Dean, Paula Deen, Oscar Mayer and Ronald McDonald. The amount of resources consumed by the fattest Americans contributes to the destruction of the earth and makes things quite expensive for our health care system. Like others with serious mental illness, the fattest people in California need to be placed into institutions under WIC holds and treated for morbid obesity forthwith. Even if you are a staunch conservative and Rush (Limbaugh) is music to your ears, you have to realize that at the rate we are going, there are not going to be any people fit to serve in the military in the near future if America keeps up its eating habits. So we got to do something quick or we may even be eating borscht, because the Russians are going to take us over.
I propose an Atascadero for fat people. A new Camarillo with a focus on a healthy lifestyle. And the cessation of any business that contributes to the poisoning of America. And of course, the expanded availability of mental health treatment and the re-opening of State Mental Hospitals across California. We could just get the hell out of Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, get rid of a couple of aircraft carrier groups and send some of those dumb-ass generals into retirement and have plenty of money to fund everything a million times over.
All of us noticed something different in our mentally ill relatives from an early age, most likely between the ages of 10 and 13. Then, there was the manifestation of the illness and a major increase in symptoms during the teenage years and into young adulthood when a hospitalization inevitably took place. Most likely, the first treatments and therapies were not effective. There was the self medication. Alcohol, stimulants, opiates. Chronic smoking. It helps make them feel better. But it also involves them in the criminal justice system, exposes them to blood born illnesses, and once again, predators. Compliance with medication is always a problem. It is hard to identify what is happening. You have no idea what the fuck a paranoid schizophrenic is unless you are a mental health professional or a student. It is not something that even the smart layperson can identify. The same goes for the many variants of serious mental illness. Unless you know what to look for, you have no idea what is going on. You may just think that they are doing it intentionally.
Then comes the first time that your relative is hospitalized and the psychiatrist actually gets the diagnosis correct. What a shock to learn about something so serious! And it may go hand and hand with a criminal case, or concurrent diagnosis with another serious illness such as HIV. Facing a judge in criminal court is not an appropriate mechanism for the treatment of the mentally ill. Controlled substance possession, sales, and prostitution are all part and parcel to serious mental illness so our prisons are crawling with untreated individuals who are exceedingly ill. Prison is only going to make them more self destructive and more dangerous. Any type of coerced outpatient treatment program imposed by the criminal justice system is likely to fail.
But there are good doctors out there with heavy clinical experience. County mental health programs and mental illness free clinics in large cities are typically good places to begin, and are usually free. The problem is getting the people to go. They are not going to want to go in most cases. Even after a hold, their participation is simply voluntary, and they are free to go back out on the streets and harm themselves. Thank you Mister Reagan and Mr. Wilson. I believe Dante has a seat for both of you in a deep ring of hell. But there is hope for those that want to get better, have a support network and are lucky enough to encounter a good Psychiatrist with clinical experience that can help you get to the bottom of things.
Underneath the exterior of every homeless person is someone's brother, sister, son, daughter, mom or dad. They don't want to have those things going through their heads. Trust me. If they could be more like everyone else, they would elect to. Their recovery is usually possible. Don't give up on them. The de-institutionalization of the seriously mentally ill was and is a crime against humanity. Placing defenseless people on the street and exposing them to predators, narcotics, and early death is not an indiction of a compassionate and sane society. How dare we force democracy down the throats of other nations and carpet bomb when they refuse to follow our orders when we cannot even take care of our own population of mentally ill people. Instead of several thousand 1.5 million dollar Tomahawk Missiles, how about spending some money to treat these people and open up places where they can be safe and hope to lead a better life?
Morbidly obese people fall into the category of mental illness. Endocrine problems my ass. It is self-destructive, uncontrolled behavior. They are victimized by predators such as Hostess, Jimmy Dean, Paula Deen, Oscar Mayer and Ronald McDonald. The amount of resources consumed by the fattest Americans contributes to the destruction of the earth and makes things quite expensive for our health care system. Like others with serious mental illness, the fattest people in California need to be placed into institutions under WIC holds and treated for morbid obesity forthwith. Even if you are a staunch conservative and Rush (Limbaugh) is music to your ears, you have to realize that at the rate we are going, there are not going to be any people fit to serve in the military in the near future if America keeps up its eating habits. So we got to do something quick or we may even be eating borscht, because the Russians are going to take us over.
I propose an Atascadero for fat people. A new Camarillo with a focus on a healthy lifestyle. And the cessation of any business that contributes to the poisoning of America. And of course, the expanded availability of mental health treatment and the re-opening of State Mental Hospitals across California. We could just get the hell out of Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa, get rid of a couple of aircraft carrier groups and send some of those dumb-ass generals into retirement and have plenty of money to fund everything a million times over.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Grand Fucking Canyon in the Snow
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Obama Sits At The Children's Table
When I cast my ballot for Obama, I sure did not envision him starting three wars and starting shit with the Russians. Fortunately, he lost both Syria and Ukraine while they were still in the attempted war stage according to Pepe Escobar. Libya is another story, but let's talk about the Ukraine for a moment.
I completed a Bachelor's Degree in History from a prestigious university, and a Master's in Library and Information Science from one of the top Universities in the world. I know a thing or two about the history of the United States during specific periods, and a bit about modern Latin America. While I took a one year survey in Russian history as an undergrad, I know very little about Russia, and even less about the Ukraine and other places in Eastern Europe. But what I do know is exponentially more than 98% of Americans. So give me a little respect here.
The Ukrainians that had been here for some time and assimilated between 1890 and 1985 are not the Ukrainians that I am about to talk about. I have had some experience with established Ukrainians but my contact with them has been limited. My dealings with them have not been particularly noteworthy. My only lasting impression was that they were not very friendly. A little cold.
Since the dissolution of the USSR, I have personally met about a dozen Ukrainians who have come over since 1990. Let me say at the outset that I do not like to make blanket statements about groups of people, especially people like Ukrainians that I am not too familiar with. The following observations are limited only to the dozen or so that I have personally met and done some business with on some level or another. Let me tell you what I observed.
Firstly, each and every one of the Ukrainians went through great lengths to explain to me that they were not Jews. I am not usually interested in another man's religion. All of these people without exception wanted me to know they were not Jews and furthermore questioned me about any prospective Jewishness. It made me feel very uncomfortable. The assertions. The questions. The outright anti-Semitism when they discovered that I was Catholic and let them keep talking. Or spewing hate, rather.
Then they wanted to talk about how they hated Russians. By that time, they understood that I had a rudimentary degree of knowledge about their history and that I knew that they were not Russian and furthermore hated the Russians almost as much as they hate the Jews. So these are the people on the ground that we are supporting and that the Russians are opposing. To call all of the Ukrainians that I am talking about Fascists would be an understatement. They are more like National Socialists or Nazis.
I am sure there are many upstanding individuals from the Ukraine are tolerant and not anti-Semitic. I have not met any personally over here, however.
Secondly, I had a certain kind of work that I was doing for each of these people. It always takes about a year to complete the task that they paid me to do. Over the course of the year, there is nothing to talk about. It is something that I always disclose at the outset, and on my contract, I always have them initial that they understand that the process takes one year. Each and every one of the Ukrainians that I entered into a contract with were not satisfied and made it very hard to do my job. I spent more time putting out fires than doing what I was paid to do. When it was done, they were NEVER happy. I am glad I am in a different business these days. You know what I am trying to say.
I am sure that the prospect of NATO getting control over Sebastapol is worth supporting nazi gangsters over. No wonder Obama sits at the children's table, and the adults in the room like Putin are able to stop his GW Bush style wars when they are still attempted wars. At least that has been the case in Syria and in the Ukraine.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Brand Park South Elevation of Mt. Tongva (not the fire road)
Mt. Tongva can be approached from all 4 elevations, but the southern one is by far the shortest and the steepest. It is akin to climbing an industrial staircase and if you are able to run, it is going to take you about a half an hour to reach the summit even thought the actual distance is not too great. In contrast, the South Beaudry Fire Road is five miles from the top to the trash dump in Brand Park. Some people may consider this more of a scramble than a hike, but I have been accustomed to running up and down. It took me a couple of years to work my way up to the fitness level necessary to run this little trail.
As for the scenery, you are going to get a pretty good view of Glendale and the North end of Griffith Park as well as the Verdugos. The entire area is exceptionally dry and the only other thing you will encounter on the trail is vegetation and scenery. Very few people take this route, and instead opt for the much easier fire roads and the Eastern approach which is steep, but not nearly as steep as the West ridge leading up the South side of Tongva.
When you arrive at the top, there is a radio tower and views of the San Gabriels and sometimes a glimpse of the Three Saints when the air quality is decent. You are going to enjoy this workout, as it will strengthen your legs, core, and mind. To reach the trailhead, go up the paved road past the Doctor's House and when you get to the fork in the road, keep going up past the dump and up to the little trail that leads up to the area with the dozen large pine trees and benches. Before you get to the switchbacks leading up to that area, there is a steep embankment to the left with a narrow dirt path leading straight up. It is steadily steep almost the entire way up. When you are almost at the top, keep to the left. Enjoy.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Kamala Harris and Open Carry vs Concealed Carry in California
At the outset, I want to express my admiration for Kamala Harris. I do not believe that California has ever had a more qualified Attorney General. She is the antithesis of some of the two-balled bitches that preceded her such as Dan Lundgren. Although most black attorneys in law enforcement positions are Toms, I believe her Tom Factor is rather low. I do not want to discuss my reasons in detail because they exceed the scope of this article. I think that despite being the top law enforcement employee in the State, I would actually want to buy her an ice cream or something and have a friendly but brief chat with her.
Many of the Deputy District Attorneys that work for Los Angeles County are among the most unethical individuals that I have ever encountered. I am not making blanket statements because some DDA's are fine, dedicated individuals. Most are not. Especially the African Americans. They are among the most incompetent, self hating and bitter attorneys that have ever been admitted to the bar. Shame on them for contributing to the demise of their own race by participating in drug crime prosecutions. Harris checks out in my opinion. She is not a Barak Obama or Susan Rice-like insecure, affirmative action pinhead standing with her dick in her hand while the adults in the room laugh at her out loud. If I were standing in her shoes, I would visit more criminal court rooms and talk to defendants, judges and all the other parties and court personnel. I would travel from Del Norte to Imperial, but spend the bulk of my visits to counties where they should stop giving people the shaft and start a medical approach to treating substance abusers and people that repeatedly get busted for theft crimes to support their habits.
But anyway, I am way off course. This post is supposed to be an appeal to legalize open carry in California in consideration of the recent San Diego case and Harris' decision to appeal it. First of all, we are all adults here. Some of us have been employed in some aspect of the criminal justice system or one of its many tentacles, so we can just call a spade a spade for god fucking sakes. Take gun crime, for instance: Plenty of registered gun owners use their firearms in crimes of passion, violence, and stupidity. However, there is no way that anyone can dispute that nearly all gun crimes are committed by individuals that could not give a flying fuck about any gun laws, including gun control. The only thing that criminals in California have to do with gun laws is breaking them. Of course a felon cannot lawfully possess a firearm. That sure does not seem to stop them. Many felons conceal carry or carry in their cars. The idea of obtaining a license and waiting 15 days would be absurd to them. They get their weapons through straw buyers, theft of lawfully purchased guns, and the saturated black market in Los Angeles.
In the 19th Century, open carry was common in cities like Boston. A robber would have to carefully consider whether or not it was worth it to steal someone's wallet. Or to enter a business and restrain the owner while a theft crime was taking place. If men wore a pistol, you would of course have some fools who would be talking a lot of shit, but when the shit hits the fan, a real fighter is going to take that gun away from the guy and stick it up his ass.Then you will have your George Zimmerman sociopath bullies and people who mentally torment others and would use legal open carry to terrorize their opponents. So many bugs would have to be worked out. Obligatory biometric safeties would eliminate many of these problems. Open carry seems to work pretty well in rural counties, and it is virtually shall issue in many places. Trinity County, with a population of around 12k people has less problems and less violence than LA so it is like apples and oranges.
I am sure it could eventually be successful. There would have to be stiff penalties for carrying while under the influence of alcohol, that is for sure, but I am optimistic that open carry is a better option than concealed carry in the Golden State.
Open carry became illegal in the late 1960's because of intense fear of the Black Panthers being able to possess loaded rifles in Sacramento within firing distance of Governor Reagan. It did not present a great deal of problems prior to that. Open carry was not traditionally a threat to public safety since California became a state.
Of course most criminals conceal carry illegal handguns. There would be no scientific way to predict how many crimes could be prevented by open carry, but I have no doubt that it would be a lot. People in the 19th Century were not victims of armed robbery with the same frequency that they are in this day and age. I can see the potential for an answer to the average wait time for the police of sometimes as long as an hour, open carry could solve a lot of problems and crimes. The primary goal of regulating and requiring coursework and annual testing would certainly reduce the number of individuals that may attempt to act like Charles Bronson.
The current laws enable your law abiding citizen to ride with a pistol grip equipped shotgun anywhere inyour vehicle provided that it is unloaded. You can carry a box of buckshot next to the gun and a couple of shells in your pocket legally. With practice, the gun can be loaded and ready for action in a few seconds anyway. It is tantamount to open carry in your vehicle. It would be easier to shoot if it were already loaded, but effective nonetheless. We do have the right to bear arms.
I would like to carry around a medium framed pistol and a couple of extra magazines. The 10 shot capacity limit here in California is fine by me. Three magazines is 30 rounds and more than enough for almost any situation. Most of us without a psych history, a history of child abuse, and no felony convictions should be allowed to open carry our pistols. I do not see it as an imminent threat to the safety of Californians and is far less expensive and problematic than issuing thousands of conceal carry permits in our State.
Many of the Deputy District Attorneys that work for Los Angeles County are among the most unethical individuals that I have ever encountered. I am not making blanket statements because some DDA's are fine, dedicated individuals. Most are not. Especially the African Americans. They are among the most incompetent, self hating and bitter attorneys that have ever been admitted to the bar. Shame on them for contributing to the demise of their own race by participating in drug crime prosecutions. Harris checks out in my opinion. She is not a Barak Obama or Susan Rice-like insecure, affirmative action pinhead standing with her dick in her hand while the adults in the room laugh at her out loud. If I were standing in her shoes, I would visit more criminal court rooms and talk to defendants, judges and all the other parties and court personnel. I would travel from Del Norte to Imperial, but spend the bulk of my visits to counties where they should stop giving people the shaft and start a medical approach to treating substance abusers and people that repeatedly get busted for theft crimes to support their habits.
But anyway, I am way off course. This post is supposed to be an appeal to legalize open carry in California in consideration of the recent San Diego case and Harris' decision to appeal it. First of all, we are all adults here. Some of us have been employed in some aspect of the criminal justice system or one of its many tentacles, so we can just call a spade a spade for god fucking sakes. Take gun crime, for instance: Plenty of registered gun owners use their firearms in crimes of passion, violence, and stupidity. However, there is no way that anyone can dispute that nearly all gun crimes are committed by individuals that could not give a flying fuck about any gun laws, including gun control. The only thing that criminals in California have to do with gun laws is breaking them. Of course a felon cannot lawfully possess a firearm. That sure does not seem to stop them. Many felons conceal carry or carry in their cars. The idea of obtaining a license and waiting 15 days would be absurd to them. They get their weapons through straw buyers, theft of lawfully purchased guns, and the saturated black market in Los Angeles.
In the 19th Century, open carry was common in cities like Boston. A robber would have to carefully consider whether or not it was worth it to steal someone's wallet. Or to enter a business and restrain the owner while a theft crime was taking place. If men wore a pistol, you would of course have some fools who would be talking a lot of shit, but when the shit hits the fan, a real fighter is going to take that gun away from the guy and stick it up his ass.Then you will have your George Zimmerman sociopath bullies and people who mentally torment others and would use legal open carry to terrorize their opponents. So many bugs would have to be worked out. Obligatory biometric safeties would eliminate many of these problems. Open carry seems to work pretty well in rural counties, and it is virtually shall issue in many places. Trinity County, with a population of around 12k people has less problems and less violence than LA so it is like apples and oranges.
I am sure it could eventually be successful. There would have to be stiff penalties for carrying while under the influence of alcohol, that is for sure, but I am optimistic that open carry is a better option than concealed carry in the Golden State.
Open carry became illegal in the late 1960's because of intense fear of the Black Panthers being able to possess loaded rifles in Sacramento within firing distance of Governor Reagan. It did not present a great deal of problems prior to that. Open carry was not traditionally a threat to public safety since California became a state.
Of course most criminals conceal carry illegal handguns. There would be no scientific way to predict how many crimes could be prevented by open carry, but I have no doubt that it would be a lot. People in the 19th Century were not victims of armed robbery with the same frequency that they are in this day and age. I can see the potential for an answer to the average wait time for the police of sometimes as long as an hour, open carry could solve a lot of problems and crimes. The primary goal of regulating and requiring coursework and annual testing would certainly reduce the number of individuals that may attempt to act like Charles Bronson.
The current laws enable your law abiding citizen to ride with a pistol grip equipped shotgun anywhere inyour vehicle provided that it is unloaded. You can carry a box of buckshot next to the gun and a couple of shells in your pocket legally. With practice, the gun can be loaded and ready for action in a few seconds anyway. It is tantamount to open carry in your vehicle. It would be easier to shoot if it were already loaded, but effective nonetheless. We do have the right to bear arms.
I would like to carry around a medium framed pistol and a couple of extra magazines. The 10 shot capacity limit here in California is fine by me. Three magazines is 30 rounds and more than enough for almost any situation. Most of us without a psych history, a history of child abuse, and no felony convictions should be allowed to open carry our pistols. I do not see it as an imminent threat to the safety of Californians and is far less expensive and problematic than issuing thousands of conceal carry permits in our State.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
La Tuna Canyon Park
I had passed by here numerous times on the way to the shooting range, vowing each time that one day I would stop and run up that steep trail and back down again. Today was that day. You head up a paved fire road until you see the first big dirt hill. This is a steep path, at times you can hold your arm out and touch the hill but there are a few segments where it evens out and you can catch your breath. It is not as difficult as the face of Tongva Peak, for instance, but it is still a challenge. The scenery of the 210 Freeway below, the Crescenta Valley, and the San Gabriels about 2 miles in front of you is good, but the other side is a little bit more interesting as you can see the DTLA Skyline. Here, the best views are at the top. There are a few canyons with old growth oaks and some nice, lush, green sycamores totally worthy of a hug if you are a filthy hippie and listening to the Jerry Garcia Band on your I-Pod. I did not see very many people hiking at the time I went, but the area is heavily used by other recreation enthusiasts. You can bring your dogs here and let them run around off the leash and nobody will give a shit. Your children can safely run amok here too. The usual cast of characters, mostly ravens and hawks, was flying overhead. The run down was noteworthy in that there are plenty of good places to land and not a lot of loose dirt and rock. You can get going pretty fast and still be safe. On a final note, I picked a tick off my forearm. It did not bite me, but I am sure it was planning on it. Take the necessary precautions.
The Poetic Silence of Justice Clarence Thomas
I read an article in the New Yorker this morning that made my Mexican blood boil. It was another attack upon Clarence Thomas. As an individual who has never had any respect for authority or the law, I have never much cared for the Supreme Court. I always figured it was a facade created by the Harvard Graduates in charge of the CIA to give the fools their tartar sauce. But Clarence Thomas can never do anything right, and every single word that he ever utters will be held beneath contempt by all of the fake ass fuckers writing in the New Yorker. Because what is right for Blacks is always thought up by white elites with a smattering of elite black input. If you don't tow their line, you had better shut the fuck up. I understand what he is doing by staring at the ceiling. He understands his place more than any other black professional in the country. I do not agree with his interpretation of the law, but feel he is far less of a Tom than Obama. Thomas certainly does not possess a great legal mind like Justice Marshall unarguably possessed, and I personally believe that it nothing less than an abomination that he sits in that fucking courthouse but I believe that he should be treated with slightly more respect than a leper.
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The coastline from Newport to San Onofre is arguably the finest stretch of oceanfront real estate in the entire world, and if not the finest, it certainly ranks among the top ten. Laguna can only be described as jaw dropping from Corona del Mar all the way down to Dana Point. Upper Newport Bay is one of the most fantastic estuaries in the world. It is a rookery for many different species of birds. It is a breeding ground for fish, anaerobic bacteria, invertebrate, and crustaceans. There is a lot of cool flora and fauna contained therein. Except every 15 minutes a fucking jet takes off at and insanely steep angle from John Wayne Airport polluting the back bay with jet noise and fumes which are not healthy for humans, animals and other living organisms. Big Duke Wayne killed our Indian brothers, he burned their villages and raped their mothers. They should never have named an airport after him. An acquaintance of mine who is a commercial pilot told me that when you do a steep take off and stop the throttle after it gets to a certain altitude so that the engine noise does not disturb the wealthily residents below in Newport Beach and Corona Del Mar, it makes the plane more susceptible to mechanical failure.
The intertidal at Laguna and most of the South County Beaches with kelp forests are world class diving spots with underwater scenery you will not likely forget unless you go into a deep coma or a vegetative state. Garabaldi, white and black sea bass, urchins, calico, and the other usual cast of underwater characters abound.
Brea Canyon, Trabuco Canyon, O'Neil and Casper Regional Parks, and the South County Beach Campgrounds are without exception all 5 Star.
If I could demolish every man-made structure in the County including the Bear Country Jamboree and Tomorrowland, the Crystal Cathedral, insidious Mc Mansions made of ticky-tacky, toll roads, free roads, interstates, freeways, airports, and absolutely everything with commercial value then sign me the fuck up. I am also in favor shoving an entire Mrs. Knott's Fried Chicken Dinner up a lot of Christian's assholes. Please Let me know where Walt Disney is buried so I can go piss on his grave. He created generations of money grubbing twats with unrealistic and foul princess aspirations.
I never felt welcome here and OC makes me feel schizophrenic. If there were no legal consequences, I would not stop until there was nothing left there but rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, deer, coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions. If I had a time machine, I would have done some great acts of sabotage and prevented the cowardly and brutal murder of poor defenseless Kelly Thomas by dispatching the Cyclops and fat Mexican asshole responsible for that heinous criminal act. While I am not threatening the jurors that acquitted those cops, I hope all those fuckers die of HIV/AIDS. If there were no people and Orange County was a giant State Park, I would have a considerably more positive opinion of the place and would offer it the highest rating possible.